I’ve always been pretty good at saving, but I’m even better at spending – which, when you’re having to pay for a wedding just isn’t possible! Blogging on a budget can be tough, generating exciting content when you can’t afford to buy new things to blog about is hard is hard! Over the past few months I’ve found there are things that can be done to make blogging on a budget possible. I’m going to refer to beauty products throughout this post but it can be applied to any kind of blogging.
1) Have regular clear outs and sell unwanted things
Doing this is one of the main ways I afford to buy new things. Two of my favourite ways to sell are through Depop or eBay. Yes it can be time consuming but the money soon adds up, and when you’re on a budget the extra money comes in handy!
TIPS FOR SELLING ON DEPOP & EBAY
1) Be savvy with postage – If you’re selling small items of clothing try and keep the packages flat and you will be able to send them as a large letter instead of a small parcel. This saves me over £2 per item! Also, if you are receiving PR packages then make sure you keep all of the packaging and reuse it to send out the items you have sold!
2) Take good pictures – Whether I’m selling on Depop or eBay, I’ve noticed the better the pictures the more that items seem to sell for. I try to make sure they are light and bright and do close ups of any important details that may add value to an item.
3) Schedule your listings – For eBay this is a big one! I always try and schedule my items so that the auction will end on a Sunday evening, more people are active at this time so actually able to bid and remember about the item you are selling!
2) Use savings cards
I think this is a pretty obvious one, but savings cards/ store cards really do make a difference! I think my absolute favourite is the Boots Advantage Card, they send through so many offers and deals and the points soon add up. Another good one to have is the Debenhams Beauty Card, they stock so many brands now and like the boots card the points soon add up meaning money off another purchase.
3) List the costs and benefits of purchasing items
I remember when the amazing marble Hourglass palette came out. Honestly, I was absolutely gutted that I didn’t have it in my collection. It’s not that I couldn’t afford that palette, in reality I could. However, it would have meant sacrificing something else for it and in the end I just couldn’t part with the £70 just because I wanted to review it and share it with you guys.
I have started to list the costs and benefits of buying something either in my head or on a piece of paper and pretty much every single time I do this I will often talk myself out of making a purchase – if I really want something and can 100% justify it, I will never get to this stage in the first place!
4) Actually keep a wishlist, if it’s been on there for more than 3 months, consider getting it.
My last post was my spring wishlist, in the beauty section a lot of the things listed I have been lusting after for months! I know that when I do come to buy them I’ll be likely to get the use out of it. Rather than an impulse purchase that will sit in the bottom of my makeup draw collecting dust.
5) Wait for discount days
Every single month I receive email after email from different companies telling me about the offers/ discounts currently available. Honestly, for years I went without buying a MAC lipstick until Debenhams would have their 10% off beauty event or I was able to shop duty free as I knew I could save the extra money. Doing this not only gives me the time to actually think about the purchase and see if I still want it after the 3 months, BUT I save a little extra money at the same time.
6) Buy discounted products e.g. Cheshire Oaks, eBay, Depop
Buying discounted products is also a fab thing to do when you’re on a budget! I’m lucky to live only 40 minutes away from Cheshire Oaks which is a designer outlet village, they have a shop which sells MAC, Estee Lauder and Bobbi Brown just to name a few all at discounted prices. I always pick up my Estee Lauder Double Wear from there and save around £8 every time. I’ve seen a lot of people sell unwanted Jo Malone candles on Depop for a fraction of the price, it’s definitely a good way to afford luxury if you can’t buy it full price.
7) Work out just how much you can afford to spend
Like most people who are reading this, I absolutely love tying out new beauty products and building up my collection so of-course I like to dedicate some of my money to it! I have started to work out just how much after all bills/ monthly expenses I can actually afford to spend on beauty. Some months I’ll have more than others, but actually planning out my spending has really helped me make more mindful purchases and stick to my wishlist. I’m currently waiting for Boots or Superdrug to have a 3 for 2 because there are some affordable makeup products I want to try.
8) Work with what you’ve got!
This is another big one for me, I’ll sometimes reach a point where I feel uninspired if I don’t buy anything new one month – yet I have a whole draw full of makeup! I’ve started taking a close look at the beauty products I already have and think of ways that I can create engaging and useful content with that. An example of this is my contouring post, I really enjoyed creating that and it was a post featuring products that I already had in my collection, absolutely nothing new. This post has also cost me nothing to create, so as a beauty blogger there are definitely ways around it and ways to still talk beauty without having new products. There are also so many posts by other bloggers sharing their ’50 Blog Post Ideas’, so when you are stuck referring to this can be refreshing and help to park new ideas. Daisy from weardaisywent has wrote a good post for this!
I hope some of you have found it useful! Sometimes I feel like I’m the only beauty blogger that can’t afford to continually buy new products, which I know isn’t the case at all but I don’t see many speak about the financial cost of being a beauty blogger and how it can get pricey if you let it!
Do you have any tips on beauty blogging on a budget?
I've been selling loads of stuff on Depop recently and I've made a tonne of money from it! Some of which I then save and then some which I spend on products haha! XKate// itskaterose.com
It's really good, I tend to always spend the money I make from Depop and then save more from my wage haha!
These are some great tips! I am a big fan of waiting for discount days, especially for clothes! I never shop at ASOS unless they have a discount day on! Lynnsay xwww.sartorialscot.com
Glad you think so! Yes! There have been so many times in the past where I have bought something full price only to find it in the sale a couple of weeks later!
I love buying makeup and beauty items and am always inspired by beauty bloggers to try new releases but I've had to cut back a lot recently in favour of travelling which I write about on my blog. Flying a lot though has meant I have been able to shop in duty free quite a lot which has saved me so much money on brands like MAC and Benefit! http://www.misszarabelle.com
That's so good! It's all about prioritising isn't it, I know that I would much rather have the money for an experience like travelling x
Thank you for writing this post, it's so helpful and also reassuring! I'm mid-way through my no spend month, and I'm trying really hard not to fall into that mindset of "if I could just buy this product then my posts would be better", because of course it's not true! Since starting my blog I've definitely got carried away with the big spending culture, it really does seem like other bloggers are constantly buying makeup, which I'm sure isn't the case at all, especially since the majority of us aren't making very much money from it xxwww.fridayfaye.com
So glad you agree Faye, I feel like I'm one of the only bloggers that has to be restrained with my spending haha, which I know really isn't the case! I think if I did make more money from my blog I would definitely put that back into it, but for now I like to remember it's only a hobby and to work with what I have! Nice to hear that you have a similar mentality with it x
Blogging on a budget can be donw for sure, love these tips!Parie xClass and Glitter
Thank you Parie! xx
Lovely tips, I rely so much on saving cards (actually, a lot on my Boots and Debenhams cards) when it comes to my beauty purchases! Having a wishlist really helps as well, in general, I tend to avoid buying something the first time I hear about it or see it in store! Great post 🙂 http://fannyanddailybeauty.com
Thank you! They're fab aren't they, a real must for any beauty addict! That's such a good way of doing things, atleast you get chance to actually think about the purchase first rather than rush straight into it x
I've been blogging on an effectively non-existent budget for the past three months and it's been SO HARD. I've not really been able to talk about any new products other than PR releases. I've been selling lots of bits on Depop recently though – I love it! I've never thought of keeping PR packaging to resend things in, though that seems so obvious now!Steph – http://www.nourishmeblog.co.uk
Loved this post Jodie, I really need to start using Depop more!! I absolutely love the Space NK card too, you get such good discounts instore and online!The Makeup Directory
Thank you for all of these tips these are super useful at the moment as my purse strings are a little tight. Lauren x Huggled
Hi, Jodie! Just stumbled across your blog, and I love it. Your photos are beautiful! And I love reading through your beauty posts 🙂 Cant wait to see more!-Madison from breakfastatmadisons.com <3
I never use to spend loads, but lately I've turned in to a shopaholic. I really want to go traveling next year, so trying to curb my spending but it is proving difficult. Your last tip is so true; I found a Nars palette and some MAC blushers today that I completely forgot existed! xowww.ohsixeleven.blogspot.co.uk
Loved your tips! I do a few of them already. I'm a proper bargain hunter so I wait for deals or make good use of offers and stock up! Great post xxCally | xcallyloves.blogspot.co.uk
Really great tips, I'm always trying to blog on a budget – boots advantage card points are great!Lucy | Forever September
Thank you for the selling tips. I am so unhappy with my wardrobe right now that I am trying to sell everything in it to then use the money to replace items. When you say about sending items as a large letter, do you just stick a stamp on?RobynLouise x
Great post, and its so hard sometimes to stick to a budget with blogging (expect for when your bank account literally says no!). I do need to get into Depop!Annabel ♥Mascara & Maltesers
Hahah absolutely love your first sentence: good at saving but better at spending! Definitely in the same boat as you :)Rachel | http://www.imperfectlyrachel.com
Really great tips! Thanks for sharing :)Maria Cano | Instagram | Bloglovin'
Great post, love the style of your blog! If you get a moment please check out my latest post too if you can. Looking forward to your next one :-)http://www.nataschacox.com xxx
Great post, regular clearouts are definitely something I need to implement and just generally keeping track of how much I am spending, what on etc. Fantastic tips xxxALittleKiran | Bloglovin
This is such a great idea for a blog post and I really enjoyed reading this! All of your points are soo great and are really useful tips! I definitely feel like I never have the money to keep my content fresh and engaging, by buying new products to talk about xoChar | http://www.charslittleblog.blogspot.co.uk
I'm definitely getting on a tighter budget as the year goes on so this post is super helpful! Thanks for the tips!xx Dany | The Queens Empire
I love this!! I really need to have a huge clear out and sell things on depop! Also i'm really trying to work with what i've got and i've found some gems in my wardrobe that i forgot i even had xAbi | abistreetx
Absolutely love this post!! I definitely have to start selling stuff I don't want anymore! And buying stuff from eBay / depop is a great solution. Have to look into it in detail!!Lea, xxwww.asnippetoflife.com
I have been shopping my stash a lot because let's face it, I just couldn't keep up with the new releases anymore. I actually love rediscovering my old favourites and it brought back my passion for beauty blogging.Shireen⎜Reflection of Sanity
I'm really glad you did this post, I know I just splurged on Cult Beauty but it's the first time I've properly treated myself to some new makeup in so long! I don't have the budget for it most of the time either and obviously having a baby and now my own house means I have a lot of other priorities above makeup and I always feel so uninspired without new makeup to play with. But definitely agree and I'm going to utilise Depop more I think and have a proper look through my collection to see what I can put together! Gemma Louise
Loooved this post, I've definitely been considering doing one of these myself – I totally had a good number of similar steps, particularly making wish lists. That's how I'm able to validate getting something if it's something that's been long considered rather than an impulse purchase. And usually I'll do a one in-one out policy (especially for skincare) so I can't go overboard with it – cause we all know how easy that is. I'm still trying to get around selling stuff on depop – I think the shipping on my own is what gets me. Do you find selling on eBay is easy to do as well? I never thought to look for used Diptyque/Jo Malone candles online but I'm definitely going to do that now – especially if I just get a jar from it!Great post Jodie!Cindy | http://www.cindyhyue.com
Agree with every tips!!! Caterina Sosso | http://www.caterinasosso.com
Loved this post – so many good tips! It's so hard to not spend money on blogging but it's reassuring to read that everyone feels in the same boat! xxLaura | http://www.mylauralife.co.uk
This is such a good post!I always add things to a wishlist and then try to wait a couple of months and then go back through and decide if I actually still want it. Most of the type the hype has died down and I'm over it!Danielle xxhttp://www.fashionbeautyblog.co.uk/
Your blog is gorgeous! Loved reading this post, you really can blog without spending a penny at all. Alice // alicemaysnell
These are excellent tips!!! Thank you for sharing!!I write Mademoiselle Meets Maquillage and Macaroons and I would love for you to give it a read, maybe we can follow each other's blogs and social media? http://www.mademoisellemeetsmaquillageandmacaroons.comDeepti xx
Totally agree with all your points. I really need o start selling stuff though!Great tips, thanks for sharing xKisses,BLOG | TAISLANY
Just the tittle of this post intrigued me. Blogging, especially beauty blogging can be pricey. I definitely try and do specific savings for my beauty product purchases as well as read lots and lots of reviews and leave the product on my wish list for a while rather then impulse buy. For the most part I am a drugstore junkie (even though drugstore makeup isn't super affordable in Australia) but i like to go only highend for specific makeup items that are particularly worth it. I also make sure i personally want the makeup item and want to use it. Sometimes as a blogger that thought can pop up in our head in regards to wanting to blog about something or have content ideas and it's tricky to avoid buying items for the sole purpose of blogging about it. http://www.themakeupaficionado.com
This post has really inspired me to start writing up a load of blog posts today! Thanks so much for sharing it! You've got me thinking of so many ideas!Isobel x New post: http://fashionistachic14.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/advice-5-ways-to-be-more-productive.html?m=1Insta: https://www.instagram.com/isobelceline/Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/isobelcelineNew Video: https://youtu.be/ce8zQKwTR04Bloglovin : https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/fashionista-chic-12984939